Chef

Care Home Chef / Cook | Wellington Lodge, Cheetham Hill, Manchester
£14.32 per hour | Full-time — 40hrs/week across 4 days | Every other weekend off
Anchor – England's largest not-for-profit care provider

The basics

Location: Cheetham Hill, Manchester
Pay: £14.32 per hour (full-time, 40hrs/week)
Hours: 4 days per week — full-time pay, better work-life balance
Every other weekend off
33 residents

The Role

We're looking for an experienced Chef or Cook to join our kitchen at Wellington Lodge in Cheetham Hill, Manchester. Working alongside our Chef Manager, you'll prepare fresh, seasonal, home-cooked meals for 33 residents daily — cooking from scratch and contributing directly to menu planning and kitchen operations.

When the Chef Manager isn't in, you'll take the lead and keep things running smoothly. No late nights. No split shifts. Just good food, great hours, and a team that genuinely cares.

What We're Looking For

• A chef or cook who loves cooking from fresh — this isn't a reheat-and-serve kitchen
• Confident working from seasonal menus and delivering balanced, well-presented dishes from scratch
• Happy to step up and run the kitchen independently when needed
• Level 2 Food Hygiene minimum (Level 3 preferred)
• Right to work in the UK (required)

What You'll Get

• £14.32/hr — full-time earnings across just 4 days per week
• 3 days off every week — every week, not just some weeks
• Every other weekend off
• No late nights or split shifts
• A clear, supported pathway to Chef Manager for the right candidate
• Matched pension up to 8%
• Free Blue Light Card + big-brand discounts
• £250 refer-a-friend bonus
• Annual Chef of the Year competition
• Access to Leadership Pathways online learning and development
• Gym, fitness and wellbeing discounts
• Mental health support and free life assurance

A bit about Anchor

We're not-for-profit — every penny we save goes back into our homes, our residents, and our people. That means better pay, better training, and a better place to work.

"I've been here three years and never looked back — the hours are brilliant and the team feels like family." — Current Chef, Anchor

Hear from our chefs: anchor.org.uk/careers/care-home-chef-and-catering-jobs

Apply in minutes. We'll be in touch within 2 working days.

All applicants must hold the legal right to work in the UK.

Anchor – a great place to work

Anchor is England’s largest not-for-profit providers of care and housing for older people. Our heartfelt ambition is to transform housing and care so everyone can have a home where they love living in later life.

We’re not-for-profit which means every penny we make or save is invested in the people who live with us, the places they live and the people who work here. That means a better standard of care and customer service, better wages, more investment in training and development and improved facilities.

A rewarding environment

From health and happiness to finance and your career, we’ll give you all the support you need.

Health & happiness

• Gym, fitness and wellbeing discounts
• Mental health support
• Flexible working options

Finance

• Pension plan – contribute between 4% and 8% and we’ll match it or better
• Quick and easy pension transfer service
• Savings and financial advice, loans, free life assurance
• Discounts on shopping, holidays, phones, technology and more

Career

• Ongoing personal and professional development programme
• Leadership Pathways online learning resources
• Career progression and promotion opportunities

To see our full range of benefits, check out our dedicated rewards website  

Celebrating diversity, celebrating you

Anchor is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We aim to celebrate diversity and inclusion in all that we do, as we know that the more diverse our colleagues are, the better care and support we can give to our residents and each other.  

We are proud to have an LGBT+ group for our residents, and also Disability, LGBT+ and race and ethnicity colleague networks. These work to celebrate diversity, address concerns, review policy and practice and empower their members.  We also have an Inclusive Ambassador network to allow all colleagues to be part of promoting diversity and to be an ally to others.

We are a member of Inclusive Employers, a Stonewall Diversity Champion and a signatory to the Care Leaver Covenant and HouseProud Pledge schemes.